Shoppers had a flipping good time in aid of a hospice.
The Marks and Spencer store at Eagles Meadow shopping centre in Wrexham held an appetiser for Shrove Tuesday with a pancake tossing competition for customers.
The aim was to raise money for the town’s Nightingale House Hospice and the prizes included frying pans and all the kit needed for shoppers to make their own pancakes at home.
The idea was the brainchild of M&S clothing and home section manager Ceri Roberts.
She was delighted to see so many families having a go which helped to raise more than £100 for the charity.
Ceri said: “Nightingale House Hospice is our store’s dedicated charity and we look to raise as much money as we can throughout the year.
“We thought Pancake Day was a fun way to raise funds through a pancake flipping contest with prizes awarded for whoever manages the most flips in 30 seconds.”
“It’s proved a great success and we are delighted to have raised so much money for what is a brilliant cause, not that there was any danger of me winning a prize!”
Nightingale House marketing manager Angela Rogers was on hand to witness the pancake flipping skills of Wrexham shoppers and she thought the event was a great idea.
She said: “We enjoy a fantastic relationship with the M&S store at Eagles Meadow. They are always really supportive and annually raise a wonderful amount of money for the hospice.
“It’s been lovely seeing children and parents taking part and having fun while supporting the hospice though donations. On behalf of the hospice I’d like to thank M&S staff and the management of Eagles Meadow for their continued support.”
M&S Food Section manager, Katie Leighton, was on hand to ensure flipping fair play and says everyone had a great time.
She said: “We had prizes of a frying pan and pancake making kit up-for-grabs in four categories, Under 10’s, children over 10 and adults plus one for the longest continual flipping time.
“Everyone donated £1 to have a go and while the more competitive took it very seriously others just wanted to have fun.
“We ended up with a lot of destroyed pancakes and while some went really high before ending up back in the pan, a lot ended up on the ground!”
Among the pancake flippers were the Platt sisters Meghan nine, and Mollie, 11, who enjoyed the added spice of sibling rivalry while dad, Matthew, watched to ensure fair play.
However, with 14 flips in 30 seconds each, the contest was declared a draw.
Matthew, a senior manager with BT, said his daughters had enjoyed the competition and it was good to see something different going on in Eagles Meadow to raise funds for Nightingale House Hospice.
Thomas Shaw, 11, a pupil of Ysgol Morgan Llwyd in Wrexham said: “It was good fun and harder than it looks. I just wanted to beat my sister!”
Madison Shaw, 10, a pupil of Ysgol ID Hooson, in Rhos, said: “I just concentrated and didn’t try and flip the pancakes too high. That made it a bit easier.”
Eagles Meadow Shopping Centre manager, Kevin Critchley, said: “It’s wonderful to see fundraising ideas such as M&S’s pancake flipping event taking place and our shoppers and visitors clearly appreciate seeing fun fundraising events such as this taking place.
“Nightingale House Hospice has a special place in the hearts of many Wrexham people and whenever a fundraising event takes place at Eagles Meadow which is to benefit the hospice Wrexham people always give generously and support the event.”
